Theater Rehearsals: What Executive Presenters Must Know

One of the most common excuses that executives use before they deliver presentations is that they are not prepared

. The board of directors are filling up the meeting room before the annual strategy review session. The financial director comes up and says he doesn't think he is prepared for the presentation. What impact does this have on his credibility? Business presenters often spend hours preparing PowerPoint slides only to deliver a low-energy dull presentation in front of the people who will be deciding their promotion prospects later in the day. Executives can learn from the theater world with these five steps to guarantee a winning presentation:

Script read through

At the start of rehearsals, actors read through their scripts, first alone, and then with the other actors. Script mastery is just the first step in their performance preparation. Most business presenters struggle to get to this step, often unable to have a coherent presentation on the day of delivery. The presentation must have a clear overall message, and the content clearly separated into distinctly different ideas. An opening that sets the context and engages the audiences by addressing their most pressing concerns. A body that divides the content into separate sections or to use a theater word scenes. A closing that brings all the content together into a clear outcome, reinforces the overall message and moves the audiences into the next part of the meeting, often the question and answer session. An important tip to remember is that at this stage the script or outline does not need to be perfect. There is still opportunity to modify during the next steps.

Run throughs

With an outline in hand it's time to have a run through. This should be rehearsed until the content is memorized. Find blocks of rehearsal time. Instead of going to a restaurant at lunch, grab a sandwich and take a walk in the park. While walking around, talk through the presentation without looking at notes. Speak it out while driving into work, or book a meeting room to practice the delivery. The key here is that it should be spoken aloud as new ideas will arise while the delivery becomes smoother. Don't use a computer or any slides at this point. The aim is to be 100% comfortable with the flow and content.

Cue-to-Cue

Always plan a technology check for all types of presentation. For smaller conference room presentations, go at least a couple of hours before to connect your computer to the projector, test the sound and video and ensure the mouse clicker works. For larger settings, arrive the day before and work with technicans in the venue. Spend time on the stage and walk around planning where to start, how to move on the stage and where to finish. Rehearse a couple of sections of the presentation with a microphone to hear what vocal volume is needed to fill the room.

Tops and Tails

The two most important parts of a presentation are the opening and closing. Both parts attract the greatest audience attention and are the best opportunities to deliver a takeaway message. They are often delivered at a higher level of authority and punch. Take the opening two minutes and rehearse as a stand-alone section. Record it and while listening to the recording, look for ways to make the delivery more impactful. Use crisper and sharper words. Make a closer connection to the audience with words they relate with. Likewise, repeat this approach with the closing. This is the final chance to convey the message and leave the audience with a positive impression.

Dress rehearsal

On the day, regardless of what time the presentation is due to start, schedule a time for a dress rehearsal. Rehearse in the same room if possible using all the technology planned and microphones needed. This final run through boosts confidence for the live version. The second delivery of the day will be smoother and appear more natural.

Better presentation skills enhance executive credentials. Executive presenters can learn from these five techniques employed in the theater to make their presentations more powerful.

by: Warwick John Fahy

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